Relevance of - United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

ANNEX III
“Traditional Leadership for a Progressing Africa”
By
His Majesty Kgosi Leruo Tshekedi Molotlegi
(of the Bafokeng Community, South Africa)
Presented at the Fourth African Development Forum
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
12 October 2004
Introduction
Our task today, as I see it, is twofold. On the one hand, we need to assess the role of
traditional authorities in democratic African states. This means, first, taking a hard look at
forms of leadership that seem to be out of step with the trend towards multi-party politics
and free and fair elections. We hope to challenge that perception. Second, it means
focusing on forms of representation in our villages and communities, and wondering
whether people’ voices can be heard in a chiefdom as well as they can in a town or a
municipality. And, third, it means scrutinizing the ways in which laws are established
and enforced in our societies, and find out if justice and due process are available to
those living under customary laws. I will talk about each of these questions in turn, with
reference not only to my own community in South Africa, the Royal Bafokeng Nation,
but also with reference to communities across Africa.
That is the first of our tasks today. The second one is more reflective, and ultimately
more political. As we discuss the extremely important issues of governance, economic
justice, human development, and societal progress, I feel it is imperative to stand back
and honestly confront our own assumptions, attitudes, and opinions about traditional
governance in Africa. First and foremost, we must make our reference point the realities
as they exist on the ground, not the ideal situations that exist only in theory. Systems that
are perfect in theory but flawed in practice are no more compelling or useful to our people
than a beautiful well that doesn’t draw water, or an elegant house that can’t keep out the
wind and the rain. Second, we must bear in mind that traditional modes of governance
are not the same thing as tribal politics. To the extent that we recognize the dangers of
ethnic factionalism on our continent, we must remember that not all traditional leaders
represent tribally-or ethnically-defined entities. And it goes without saying that electoral
politics are not immune to the negative aspects of tribalism (which I believe is quite an
understatement in certain contexts).
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